Ironing machine



Feb. 23, .1937.

J. J. M C ABE IRONINQ MACHINE Filed April 6, 1953 Fig.1.

i 14 INVENTOR JOHNJ- M2 CREE. 9 54 I fl 11, ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 23; 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I Apex Electrical Manufacturing Company.

Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application April 6, 1933, Serial No. 664,766

21 Claims.

This invention relates to ironing machines of the type employing a rotatable padded member and a heated member, one of which is movable relatively to the other for eiiecting pressing contact between these members.

The objects of this invention relate to improvements in ironing machines among which are: the provision of a compact self-contained ironing unit of light weight which may be readily transported from place to place; the provision of a highly eflicient operating mechanism of low power consumption; the provision of a simple and inexpensive resilient shoe support; the provision of a dependable safety shoe release; the provision of a. generally simplified and readily accessible ironer control means; the provision of an ironing machine in which the roll when separated from its heated shoe, is freely rotatable in either direction; the provision of resilient means for accommodating materials of varying thickness between the difierent parts of the coacting surfaces of the machine and to equalize the pressure along such surface of contact; the provision of an improved starting and stopping mecha- 5 nism for the roll; the provision of a unitary gear case and motorhousing from which all of the operating elements of the machine are supported or carried; and the provision of an improved roll support and roll operating mechanism.

0 With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of part, hereinafter illustrated and described in some of its embodiments in the accompanying drawing, and

; particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing, Figure 1 illustrates a longitudinal sectional view taken on line Il, Figure 2 illustrating one form of the invention; Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2, Figure 1;

4 Figure 3 is .a detail sectional view taken on line 3-4, Figure 1; Figure 4 is a detail sectional view taken on line 44, Figure 1 illustrating the clutch and its operating mechanism.

The machine used to illustrate one mode of 5 practicing this invention comprises an electric motor I having a combined gear case housing extends to the end of the roll and shoe and may be of a width approximately equal to the width occupied by the roll and the shoe.

The motor cap 2 supports a gear housing 5, and this housing may be conveniently constructed 5 integrally with the motor cap. The housing 5 is provided with a hollow cylindrical boss 6 in which is rigidly received a roll supporting tube l, the tube extending inwardly beyond the inner wall of the gear case a slight distance and pro- 10 jecting outwardly beyond the gear case wall a distance equal approximately to the length of the ironer roll. Laterally spaced from the boss 6 a second boss 8 is formed in the gear case. This boss is in the form of a hollow cylinder and exatmosphere as illustrated in U. S. Patent No.

1,467,339, issued to A. N. Sammarcne September 11, 1923.

A shoe supporting tube 9 is received in the boss 8. The ironing roll of the machine may be formed from a sheet metal cylinder III which is covered with suitable padding II. The roll is supported at its inner end 'by a disk-like member l2 supported in a fixed manner on the outer end of the boss 6. This member is provided with "an anti-friction bushing l3 which is in contact with abearing member carried by the adjacent part of the roll. The opposite end of the roll is provided with a second disk-like member H which fits into the end of the roll and which has an anti-friction bushing 15 formed centrally 40 thereof. This bushing engages with a bearing surface formed on the outer end of the tube I.

A nut 16 threadably received in the outer end of the tube 9 engages with the bearing member l5 and serves to hold the roll in place on the tube.

Within the shoe supporting tube 9 there is journaled a tube I! which extends beyond both ends of the tube 9. At its outer and exposed end, the tube H is provided with a collar l8 rigidly secured thereto by any suitable means such as the bolt iii. In addition to holding the collar in place on the tube ll the bolt also serves to secure the lower end of a cantilever spring 2!! in a rigid manner to the collar it. The spring 20 is provided to support a shoe 26 which has formed from a sheet metal plate having turned over edges 24 and 24 by means of which the shoe parts may be held in assembled relation.

The shoe is provided with an electric heating element of the resistor type not shown. e

The ears 22 are pivoted at 25 to a link 25 which is also pivoted at 21 to the upper end of the spring 20. The link 26 is swung about its pivot 21 by means of a lever 28 having an operating handle 29 at the upper end thereof. Suitable stops 30 and 30 carried by the link 26 and spring 20 respectively, may be provided to limit the movement of the link 26-about its pivot 21 and other stops 3| may be provided in the ears 22 to limit the movement of the shoe 2| about the pivot 25.- This arrangement for mounting the shoe is provided for the speedy safety release of the shoe in the event of pinching of the operators hand between the roll and shoe, the stoppage of the motor or for any other reason and it is also provided to permit the shoe to be swungaway from the roll with its face exposed for cleaning and other purposes.

The innerend of the tube |1 whichextends into the gear case 5, is provided with a collar 32 fixedly secured thereto by means of a pin 33. A cap 35 is provided on the end of the collar to prevent the'escape of lubricant "by way of the hollow interior of the tube l1. Suitable packing 34 is held in place on the outer end of the tube 9 by a sleeve 35 to prevent the escape of lubricant at this point from between the tubes 9- and- I1.

The motor I has an armature shaft 36 extending through the upper end of the motor cap and journaled at this point is an anti-friction hearing 31. An oil seal 38 is provided to prevent the escape of lubricant from the gear case to the motor parts. 36 carries a worm 39 which meshes with a worm gear 40. This arrangement provides a means for reducing the motor speed to a suitable speed for operating the shoe moving mechanism which will be described in detail presently.

The worm gear 40 is fixedly carried on a disklike member 4| which has an annular rim portion 42 on one side of its face and upon its opposite face there is provided a hub portion for receiving a pinion 43. The member 4| is journaied for rotation on a shaft, one end of which is journaled in a centrally bored plug 45 carried in the inner end of the tube 1 and the other end of the shaft 44 is journaled in a bearing 45 formed on the meeting point of a pair of angular arms 41 and. 48 which'are secured at their opposite ends to the gear case by any suitable means such as screws 49.

A gear 50 journaled on a pin 5| carried by a supporting member 52 which is journaled for rotation on the inner end of the tube 1, rotatably carries the gear 50 in constant mesh with the gear 43. The member 52 is provided for moving the gear 50 bodily about the axis of the gear 43 for the purpose of shifting it into and 'out of engagement with a roll vvdriving gear 53. This latter gear is fixed on a shaft 54 which extends through a hollow boss 55 projecting outwardly from the gear case 5 in line with the axis of the roll.

The supporting member l2 for the inner end of the roll is apertured to receive the shaft 54.

This shaft has fixed thereon a gear 55 meshing with an internal gear 51 secured to the roll by any suitable means such as the screws 58. The

The upper end of the motor shaft gear 51 has a smoothly finished rim portion 59 projecting to one side of the gear and providing a bearing surface for the bushing l3 carried by the member l2.

The supporting member 52 of the gear 50 is provided with extended portions, the end of one of which carries a roller 80 and the end of the other of which is provided with a foot part 8|. The roller 60 is provided for engagement with a cam-like member 62 fixedly carried by the collar 32 for the purpose of lowering and raising the gear 50 into and out of mesh with the gear 53 in accordance with the movement of the collar 32.

The foot 6| is provided for engagement with a cam 63 carried by one end of a shaft 64, the opposite end of which is provided with an operating handle 55, the cam and the aforesaid associated members being provided for manually shifting or holding the gear 50 out of mesh with the gear 53 independently of the operation of the member 62.

A stop 66 is provided to limit the downward movement of that portion of the member 52 which carries the roller 60. The aforesaid elements constitute the roll driving mechanism and its control means. It will be observed that these elements are of relatively simple construction and employ a relatively few number of elements for accomplishing the driving and the controlling of the rotation of the ironer roll. The shoe 2| is power operated for movement .towards and away from the roll by the mechanism now about to be described. 7

The rim 42 of the member 4| which is fixed for constant rotation with the worm gear 40, provides the driving member of a clutch construction which comprises a driven member 61 carried by the shaft 44 .The driven clutch member is provided with a cam face 68. Associated with this cam face there is a roller or ball 69 which wedges between the cam face 68 and the rim 42 when the rim 42 is rotated in a counterclock-.

wise direction as viewed in Figure 4.

The driven clutch member 51 is also provided with a second and oppositely arranged cam face 10 having a cooperating roller or ball 1| in the space between the cam face and the rim 42. The driven part of the clutch is connected in driving relation to the driving part 42 of theclutch by the roller 10 and cam face 1| when the driving part of the clutch moves in a clockwise direction as viewed in'Figure 4. Suitable springs 12 and 13 are provided to urge the rollers 1|, and 89 into contact with the engaging surfaces of the driving and driven clutch Darts.

Normally the driving member 42 of the clutch rotates in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 4 and the driving of the clutch is accomplished entirely by means of the roller 1| and its associated cam 10. The roller 69 is provided to prevent the shoe spring 20 from snapping the shoe to its retracted position when the clutch operates to move the shoe away from the roll. The roller 1| is controlled by an operating arm 14 having a finger 15 for engaging the ball. The member 14 is journaled for movement about the axis of the shaft 44.

The outer end of the arm 14 is'provided with a bent-over part 15 which normally engages with either one or the other of the stops 11 and 18 carried by an operating member 19. The operating member is supported by means of a rod 83 which extends through the upper part of the gear case 5 and .at its top end it is provided with a hemi-spherical knob 8| beneath which there is provided a spring 82 which holds the member 18 in the position shown in Figure 4.

Considering for a moment the disclosure of Figure 4, when the knob 8| is depressed the stop 11 will move away from the clutch part 16. This allows the spring I2 to move the roller against the clutch part 42 and the cam face 10 thereby providing engagement between these parts and which serves to rotate the driven clutch part 61. This rotation will continue for approximately one-half turn whereupon the clutch part 16 engages with the stop 18 throwing the roller out of engagement and stopping further rotation of the clutch 61.

When the knob BI is again depressed the stop 18 moves out of engagement with the clutch part 16 and the clutch again rotates one-half turn until the clutch part 16 comes against the stop 11 whereupon the disengagement of the clutch parts takes place in the manner just described.

The driven clutch part 81 is fixedly secured to a member 83 which carries an eccentric 84, the eccentric being engaged by the strap 85 of a connecting rod 86 which at its opposite end is pivoted at 81 to the arm '32 of the member 3 2. From the foregoing it is apparent that dur- -'.ing the time of operation of the motor i the shoe 2i may be moved toward and away from the roll by simply depressing the operating member 8i, each successive operation of which causes the moving of the shoe in one direction or the other about the axis of the tube 9.

Each time the shoe is moved toward the roll the cam member 62 moves downwardly, allowing the gear 58 to drop into mesh with the gear 53 whereupon the roll commences to rotate. If it is desired to arrest the rotation of the roll or to prevent its starting, the member 65 may be shifted to the position shown in Figures '2 and 3 whereupon the gear 58 will be maintained permanently in its upper position and the machine may be used for pressing and other-operations where the rotation of the roll is not desired.

In performing ironing and other operations where work is continuously fed to the moving roll the operating member 65 would be swung to its upper position which would bring the cam 63 sufliciently above the foot 6| to permit the gear 50 to be dropped into mesh with the gear 53 upon the operation of the cam member 62.

Current is supplied to the machine by way of a cable .88. A switch 89 is provided for controlling the operation of the motor I. The heating element of the shoe is connected to a source of current supply by means of the cable 90 and the operation of the heating element of the shoe is under control of a switch 9i.

Furthermore it is to be understood that the particular forms of apparatus shown and described, and the particular procedure set forth are presented for purposesof explanation and that various modifications of said apparatus and procedure can be made without departure from this invention as described in the appended claims. 4

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. An ironing machine comprising, a padded member and aheated member, movable one towards and away from the other, means comprising a motor for effecting such movement,

said motorhaving a cap on one end, support.

means for said members carried by said motor 3 cap. and a supporting base for said ironing machine secured to the bottom of said motor.

2. An ironing machine comprising, a padded member and a heated member, movable one towards and away from the other, means comprisprising a motor for efiecting such movement,

said motor having a cap on one end, and support means for said members rigid with and carried by said motor cap.

4. An ironing machine comprising, cooperating ironing members including a padded member and a heated member, movable one towards and away from the other, means comprising a motor for effecting such movement, said motor having a cap on one end, support members carried by said motor cap and projecting from one side thereof providing the sole support for said ironing mem bers, and a supporting base for said ironing ma-- chine secured to the bottom of said motor.

5. An ironing machine comprising, cooperating ironing membersincluding a rotatably-movable padded member and a heated member, movable one towards and away from the other. means comprising a motor for effecting such movements, said motor having a cap on one end, hollow supports carried by said motor cap and projecting from one side thereof for supporting said ironing members, shaft means in one of said supports for actuating one of said ironing members, and a supporting base for said ironing machine secured to the bottom of said motor.

6. An ironing machine comprising, cooperating ironing members including a rotatably movable padded member and a heated member, movable one towards and away from the other, means comprising a motor for effecting such movements, said motor having a cap on one end,

tubes carried by said motor cap and projecting from one side thereof for supporting said ironing members, shaft means journaled in said tubes for rotating said padded member and for shifting said heated member, and a supporting base for said ironing machine secured to the bottom of said motor..

7. An ironing machine comprising, in combination, cooperating ironing members including a rotatable padded roll and a heated shoe, support means for said members, and power means for rotating said roll member and for bodily moving one of said ironing members with respect to the other for bringing said members into their. operative and inoperative ironing positions respectively, said power means comprising a coaxially mounted internal ring gear and pinion, the ring gear being carried internally of said roll and secured to rotate therewith and the pinion being carried externally of the roll, and shaft and gear means for connecting said pinion to said ring gear.

8. An ironing machine comprising, in combination, cooperating ironing members including a rotatable padded roll and a heated shoe, support means for said-ironing members, and power means for rotating said roll member and .for bodily moving one 'of said ironing members with respect to the other for bringing said members I a coaxially mounted ring gear and pinion, the ring gear being carried internally of said roll and fixed to rotate therewith and the pinion being carried externally of the roll, and shaft and gear means rotatable about an axis to one side of the axis of said roll member for connecting said pinion to said ring gear.

9. An ironing machine comprising, in combination, cooperating ironing members including a rotatable padded roll and a heated shoe, support means for said ironing members, and power means for rotating said roll member and for bodily moving one of said ironing members with respect to the other for bringing said members into their operative and inoperative ironing positions respectively, said power means comprising a motor, a worm, a worm gear, a pinion, an internal ring gear and a driving connection between said pinion and ring gear, said worm gear, ring gear and pinion being coaxially arranged and said ring gear being carried inside said roll and fixed to rotate therewith.

10. An ironing machine comprising, in combination, cooperating ironing members including a padded rotatable roll and a heated shoe, support means for said ironing members, and power means for rotating said roll member and for bodily moving one of said ironing members with respect to'the other for bringing said members into their operative and inoperative ironing positions respectively, said .power means comprising a coaxially mounted internal ring gear and pinion, the ring gear being carried inside said roll and fixed to rotate therewith and the pinion being carried externally of said roll, and shaft and gear means including a shiftable idler gear for connecting said pinion to said ring gear.

11. An ironing machine comprising, in combination, cooperating ironing members including a padded rotatable roll and a heated shoe, support means for said ironing members, and power means for rotating said roll member and for bodily moving one of said ironing members with respect tov the other for bringing said members into their operativeand inoperative ironing positions respectively, said power means comprising a coaxially'arranged internal ring gear and pinion, the pinion being carried externally of the roll and the ring gear being carried internally thereof and fixed to rotate therewith, shaft and gear means rotatable about an axis to one side of the axis of said roll operatively connected to said ring gear, a supporting member journaled for movement about the axis of said roll, and

to the other for bringing said members into their operative and inoperative ironing positions respectively, said power means comprising a motor having an armature shaft, a worm on said armature shaft, a worm gear meshing therewith and mounted for rotation about the axis of said roll, a pinion fixed on said worm gear and coaxial therewith, means for connecting said pinion in driving relation to said roll, cooperating driving and driven clutch parts mounted for rotation about the axis of said roll and driven by said worm gear, eccentric means carried by the driven clutch part, and means connecting said eccentric means to said bodily movable ironing member.

13. An ironing machine comprising, in combination, cooperating ironing members including a padded rotatable roll and a heated shoe, support means for said ironing members, and power means for rotating said roll member and for bodily moving said shoe with respect to said roll for bringing said ironing members into their operative and inoperative ironing positions respectively, said power means comprising a motor having an armature shaft, a worm on said shaft, a worm gear meshing therewith and mounted for rotation about the axis of said roll, a pinion fixed on said worm gear and coaxial therewith, means for connecting-said pinion in rotatable driving relation to said roll, cooperating driving and driven clutch parts mounted for rotation about the axis of said roll and adapted to be driven by said worm gear, and eccentric means operated by said driven clutch part and connected to said shoe member for moving the same toward and away from said roll.

14. An ironing machine comprising, in combination, cooperating ironing members including a padded rotatable roll and a heated shoe, support means for said ironing members, and power means for rotating said roll member and for bodily moving one of said ironing members with respect to the other for bringing said members into their operative and inoperative ironing positions respectively, said power means comprising a motor having an armature shaft, a worm on said shaft,

' the worm gear meshing therewith and mounted for rotation about the axis of said roll, a pinion of said roll and adapted to be driven by saidworm gear, an eccentric carried by the driven clutch part, and means connecting said eccentric to said bodily movable ironing member, said roll driving connection including a member operated by the driven clutch part for making and breaking such connection in accordance with the position of the driven clutch element.

15. An ironing machine comprising, in combination, cooperating ironing members including a padded rotatable roll and a heated shoe, support means for said ironing members, and power means for rotating the roll and for bodily moving one of said ironing members with respect to the other for bringing said members into their operative and inoperative ironing positions respectively, said power means comprising a motor having an armature shaft, aworm on said shaft, a worm gear meshing therewith andni'ounted for rotation about the axis of said roll, a pinion fixed on said worm gear and coaxial therewith, means for connecting said pinion in driving relation to said roll, cooperating driving and driven clutch parts mounted for rotation about the axis of said roll and adapted to be driven by said worm gear, eccentric means carried by the driven clutch part, and means connecting said eccentric means to said bodily movable ironing member, said roll driving connection including a member operated by said driven clutch part for making and breaking such connection in accordance with the position of said bodily movable ironing member.

16. An ironing machine comprising, in combination, cooperating ironing members including a padded rotatable roll and a heated shoe, support means for said ironing members comprising resilill lent means to provide for yielding pressing engagement between said members, and power means to rotate the roll and to bodily moveone of said ironing members into contact with the other for bringing said members into an operative or an inoperative ironing position respectively, the intermediate portion of said shoe being secured to said resilient means against tilt-,

ing movements of the shoe along the roll axis with respect to its point of securement to said resilient means as occasioned in ironing articles whose thickness varies at different points along the length of the roll whereby the shoe can strain said resilient means and move angularly of its length so as. to accommodate itself to varying thicknesses of material ironed at one or the other of the opposite ends thereof without appreciably increasing the ironing pressure at such point.

17. An ironing machine comprising, in combination, cooperating ironing members including a padded rotatable roll and a heatedshoe, support means for said ironing members comprising a cantilever spring to provide for yielding pressing engagement between said members, and power means to rotate the roll and to bodily move one of said ironing members into contact with the other for bringing said members into an operative or an inoperative ironing position respectively, the intermediate portion. of said shoe being secured to said cantilever spring against tilting movements of the shoe along the roll axis with respect to the pointiof its securement to the spring as occasioned in ironing articles whose thickness varies at diiferent points along the length of the roll whereby the shoe can twist said spring and move angularly of its le'ngth'so as to accommodate itself to varying thicknesses of material ironed at one or the other of the oppo-. site ends thereof without appreciably increasing the ironing pressure at such point.

18. In an ironing machine of the class described, a padded roller, roller driving mechanism, a heated shoe, a shaft, a cantilever spring for supporting said shoe from said shaft, and opcrating mechanism for rotating said shaft selectively in opposite directions to move the shoe away from and against the roller, said spring being rigidly secured at one end to said shaft and secured at its opposite end to said shoe at apoint midway between the shoe ends, such latter sevcurement being rigid as against movements of the shoe tending to twist said spring, and manua point intermediate the length thereof and operable to place the same into and out of operative position, said spring permitting slight movement of the s'hoeends with respect to said roller,

a power means for rotating said roller and for moving said shoe into or out of pressing engagement with said roller, and manually operable means interposed between said shoe and its support to release the shoe from pressing contact with said roller.

20. In a machine of thetype described, cooperating pressing members including a padded member and a heated member, movable one towards and away from the other, means for effecting such movement comprising a motor having a cap on one end, and support means for said members including an element fixed to the cap of said motor for solely supporting said padded member therefrom. v p

21. In a machine of the type described, cooperating pressing members including a padded member and a heated member, movable one towards and away from the other, means for efiecting such movement comprising a motor having a cap on one end, and support means for said members including an element fixed to the cap of said motor for solely supporting said heated member therefrom.

JOHN J. McCABE. 

